DVD Review: 'Casino Royale'

Daniel Craig as James Bond

Daniel Craig as James Bond

Hanh NguyenZap2It.com

"Casino Royale" was a rebirth of sorts for the James Bond franchise. Not only did the secret agent acquire his 00 status and seduce his first sultry-eyed women, but a new actor, Daniel Craig, became the latest to step into the dashing role. The film also returned to the essence of Ian Fleming's source material, creating a darker, grittier Bond that was far less smirky and gimmicky than previous on-screen incarnations.

It's appropriate then that the 2-disc DVD is similarly restrained, classy and informative. The bonus features generally celebrate Bond as an iconic figure with only one extra, "James Bond: For Real," geared towards behind-the-scenes action on the film itself. It examines the use of parkour (with co-founder Sebastien Foucan), the down and dirty fight scenes, various explosions and the record-setting seven times that Bond's car rolls before it's totaled.

In contrast, "Becoming Bond" is almost a solemn affair that demonstrates just how serious casting a new Bond could be. The featurette follows the entire process: from the numerous actors being considered and the big announcement to the subsequent media frenzy and criticism. Apparently, having a blond Bond that was a relative nobody rubbed people the wrong way. The remainder of the featurette also analyzed how this new (old) Bond revitalized what had become formulaic, such as his romantic approach and his relationship with M.

By far the most intriguing and sexy extra is the "Bond Girls Are Forever" three-part special that was made for AMC. Hosted by Maryam D'Abo, who played Kara Milovy opposite Timothy Dalton's 007 in "The Living Daylights," the special features interviews with Ursula Andress, Honor Blackman, Lois Childs, Michelle Yeoh, Halle Berry and newest Bond Girl Eva Green, just to name a few.

Among the many burning questions that the various women answer are the following: "What does it mean to be a Bond Girl?," "Are Bond Girls anti-feminist?," "How have the depiction of Bond Girls changed over time?," "Bond Girl vs. Bond Woman?" and "Which Bond Girl actually slept with Bond?" Beyond just the sexual/love interests, the special also casts a light on perpetual flirt Miss Moneypenny and Judi Dench as M.

The final extra, Chris Cornell's music video for "You Know My Name" is fairly typical and includes clips from the film.